Chaos at the Oscars

[princealbertofb]

My saying that wasn't totally a direct response to you. I know what you meant, that's exactly what I was speaking to. It's that idea that the Academy or whatever might have felt pressure to reward "black films" this year in order to prove how diverse they are, that bothers me. I'm sure many people feel that way, I don't know, maybe it is that way. I didn't watch it, but obviously I know now that La La Land was mistakenly first called the winner. And even that slip up, in some minds, might contribute to some of those feelings too.

It's just a shame that such an excellent film is potentially clouded by the idea that it might have been given the award vs that it earned the award. It's not something we as a culture tend to do when it comes to the success of "white films".

But it's a good thing that Moonlight is getting the recognition it deserves. I think it was a meaningful win. Critically I know it got a lot of attention, but in other circles it didn't seem to. Race and identity is an integral and central part of that movie, it wouldn't have been so ground breaking had it focused on a non black protagonist. But, just because it is so about the American black male experience, doesn't mean there aren't universal lessons to be drawn from it, or that the characters and their struggles are something non black people couldnt relate to.

Given the way the film is constructed and put together, I don't think it was a stolen Oscar win. Actually it would have made an excellent Palme d'Or in Canne, I think.